


It was only math

by oneatatime



Category: Choujin Sentai Jetman
Genre: M/M, consensual collar use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26713870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneatatime/pseuds/oneatatime
Summary: "This isn't punishment."
Relationships: Tendou Ryu/Yuuki Gai
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3
Collections: Tokusatsu Kisses Flash Ficathon 2020





	It was only math

**Author's Note:**

  * For [borrowedphrases](https://archiveofourown.org/users/borrowedphrases/gifts).



"You didn't listen to me up there today," Ryu said quietly, watching Gai's face.

Yes. There it was again. A twitch. Gai got to his feet, as if unable to keep sitting, and scraped a hand back through his hair. The fabric of his shirt tightened interestingly around his throat as he swallowed. Ryu poured the rest of the whiskey for him - Maclain? Acallen? Something like that? And slid Gai's glass across the table.

He picked up his own glass, and swirled it. The color was reassuringly beautiful, multiple shades of amber, with the light from his table lamp refracting through it. He wasn't much of a one for whiskey. It'd been perhaps a month since he'd last had anything alcoholic. Possibly two. Long enough that he could be confident he wasn't using it as a crutch. But today had been difficult, and they'd only barely made it out, and he knew that if he didn't find some way to help himself relax then things would only get more difficult.

Because it wasn't just about making himself relax. 

He'd brought Gai back to his place, hoping they could talk this through. Resolve it, somehow. 

It was endearing, humbling, and incredibly attractive to watch Gai find the strength inside himself to meet Ryu's eyes levelly.

"I didn't," he said, voice hoarse. 

Ryu flicked a finger at the glass. Gai took a mouthful, then another. 

"I'm not angry." 

Gai frowned at him. "You'd _better_ not be. You scared the shit out of me and I saved your ass and- why the hell not?" 

The first part was jerked out, spiky, defensive. The second part spiralled upwards, more and more breathy. 

"You saved me, even though I told you to leave me behind." 

"Y-yeah. Disobeyed your orders." 

(Ryu knew he'd be reliving this one in his dreams for a while. The fear of it. The... comfort of knowing everything was over.)

Ryu nodded. "You made the right decision. I wanted to sacrifice myself. Didn't want you in additional danger. But you made the right decision for the team." 

It was hard enough for him to go that far. He knew he had an issue with self-sacrifice, and he also knew he didn't want to sound arrogant enough to believe himself vital to the team... but he had to be fair about this. Had to let Gai see that he was making an effort, too. Because of course five people would be stronger than four. It was only math. Wasn't arrogance. 

Gai rubbed at the back of his neck. He'd refused first aid. Not for the first time. "I. I did." 

"But you still disobeyed my orders. Again, I'm not angry." Ryu could hear the gravel in his own voice. 

And here they were, at last. Ryu sipped at his whiskey. Taking his time. Allowing the sweet burn of it to slide down his throat. Then he eased himself around on his stool, without standing. He ignored the throbbing in his bandaged shoulder and the nausea in his hip, and took the collar out of his pocket. 

Gai's eyes brightened with desperate hope. 

_"Please..."_

Consent. Good. 

"This isn't punishment." 

He took Gai's wrist and tugged him close enough so that he could reach. He wrapped the slim leather carefully around Gai's throat. He buckled it, then checked that he could slide two fingers between it and the warmth of his skin. 

Ryu took Gai by the scruff of the neck, with absolute tenderness, and dragged Gai's mouth down to his own.


End file.
